Cheap laptop computers are coming to a store near you. In fact, there are many there already. That s because, like any newfangled electronics device, laptop computers were once the cream of the computer crop, which made them super expensive. Nowadays, however, laptops are a dime a dozen. Hand-held personal digital assistants and Bluetooth cell phone devices are the new rage. And so laptops are cheap.
This does not mean that they are cheaply made, though. Thanks to the wonders of the technological cycle, laptop computers are decreasing in price as their capabilities rise. Of course, there are the latest, greatest laptops out there-monsters made for gaming, for instance, or for high-powered multimedia applications-and these still cost a pretty penny.
But the average user can find themselves cheap laptop computers that provide all that they need in power, connectivity, and then some. Every major manufacturer out there, such as Dell, HD, and IBM, has their lower end and intermediate models that come with more than enough speed and usability.
First of all, Apple won the 2004 Readers Choice Award for the brand with the most impact on an international scale. It beat out Google, which had been the winner for two years running.
No matter what awards for best rated laptops or percentages of the world market that Apple acquires in the next few years, you can rest assured that the company will continue to put out the innovative products that are its signature.
Just take the software that is featured on its Apple laptops and desktops. Such marvels of application design as iPhoto and iTunes make Apple so popular just because these programs are so useful yet so easy to use. Try saying that about the software that comes standard with most other MP3 players or digital cameras. It s this simplicity but power that make Apples some of the best rated laptops around.
This year s best rated laptops seem to have one thing in common. They are all called Apples. They have taken this honor from several leading computing and electronics magazines, and the trends in sales seem to suggest that consumers are feeling the same warm way about them, too.
Laptops such as the PowerBook and iBook have helped Apple stand tall among the other major players in the computing world, such as Dell, IBM, Compaq, and HP. In 2004 alone, Apple announced that it had an overall net income growth of 300 percent. That equaled a profit of $295 million in the last quarter. If you own Apple stock, that must make you smile.
Single computer model sales show the same trend. For instance, the iPod desktop version disappeared off the shelves at the rate of 4.5 million per year. The iMac tripled its sales. It share of the international market may still be lagging behind, though. Dell still has top honors with 18 percent of the world market. HP comes in a close second with 16 percent. And in a distant third, IBM brings in 6 percent of the share. Still, Apple is getting the press lately that could put a dent in those figures.
First and foremost, keep your eye on the basics: the hard ware. Computers essentially need three things to run. They ought to have ample hard drive room to store vast amounts of files, programs, and other information without fear of running out of space.
Then they need a lightening quick processor to juice up your online experience and the speed of your applications. Finally, do not underestimate the need of RAM. This short-term memory is what essentially runs open applications, so the more of it your computer has, the faster and more multi-tasking it can do.
Next, assess the accessories that a laptop offers. Accessories should focus on a laptop s main benefit over desktops, which is, of course, mobility. Depending on what you need you notebook for, this mobility could mean wireless Wi Fi technology, USB and FireWire ports, and mobile chip technologies like Intel s new Centrino.
Finally, there are the intangibles that make a computer great. Body weight, chassis style, screen size, battery life these are the things that some people overlook. But if you want one of the best rated computer laptops, you need to take all of these factors into consideration.
The best rated computer laptops seem to flip flop every computer season. One year, it s Apple at the top of the heap. The next year, Dell, Compaq, or one of the other powerhouses takes the cake. How can you the consumer tell what to believe when there is such volatility in brands and model quality?
The simple truth is, with this sort of complicated and fast-changing technology, there will be such dynamism at the front of the pack. You want that. That means computer manufacturers are competing against each other, developing innovations and better performance at cheaper costs.
Still, you want to be able to differentiate the best of its class from the middle of the pack even if it s just for a couple months. So to help you determine which are the best rated computer laptops for yourself, here is a guide to help you know which qualities to search for that all top-breed notebooks possess.
Of course, to maximize Web gaming, you should shoot for a laptop with the finest in wireless technology, such as Bluetooth and Wi Fi connectivity. These will add the mobile to your mobile gaming, allowing you to challenge the competition in San Diego, California and San Juan, Costa Rica.
When comparing prices and models, it goes with out saying that you should maximize your hard drive space, RAM memory, and processor speed. After all, these components are the backbone of any computer system, let alone the best gaming laptop.
Nowadays, no matter what brand or model it is, the best gaming laptop must first and foremost come with Intel Centrino mobile technology. These new chipsets make sure that your notebook doesn t burn through its battery after only a few rounds of Doom III. All the while, this mobile technology maximizes the graphic output, making images and movement appear smooth and crisp, not choppy and blurred.
Of course, to properly appreciate these high-grade visuals, you need a large, potentially wide screen, display. Shoot for upwards of 14 or 15 inches, with wide angles and crystal clear imaging. The extra display size may make your laptop a bit more unwieldy, but you re there to play the computer, not lug it around.
The best gaming laptop crown seems to get passed around a lot like every couple of months. The pace of technology is astounding. Then again, it can be pretty frustrating if you just bought what you thought what the king of gaming notebooks, only to have a new king appear on the market a few weeks later.
That s why it may be better to consider looking for certain qualities in a gaming computer, rather than a specific brand or model. Models get switched out every so often. Brands get hyped by the reporters and computer magazines one issue, only to have their reputations bashed in the next. Instead, hunt for consistent quality across the board instead of just a flash in the pixilated pan.
Then came the latest lineup of Apple notebooks. Such models as the iBooks and PowerBooks have rocked the computing world because they simultaneously break the mold of typical Apple products while staying true to the original Apple mission.
Take the latter first: the Apple tradition. The iBooks and PowerBooks look like no other laptop out there. They re either sleek white, or shimmering silver, all with no edges and all curves. They bear the trademark Apple anti-establishment refinement that makes them suitable for a loft condo in the Lower East Side, or an architecture studio in San Francisco.
Now take the new quality of these Apple laptops: their accessibility. Apple has made a name for itself with notebooks that provide what all customers need and want: power and ease of use. They are accessible to PC
and Windows products, so Apple users are no longer isolated from the rest of the world. Plus, in many cases they tend to outperform competing laptop PCs.
The world has taken notice. Magazine after magazine, expert after expert, have chimed in on the side of Apple. It s not just the Ipod effect either. The latest Apple laptops can truly make the perfect match for the hardened techie and the technically impaired.
Apple laptops have lifted Apple Computer company back to the pinnacle of the IT world. Apple hasn t been there since possible the first Mac was launched or the old Apple IIe. Why had Apple hit such hard times for so long?
Well, consider Apple s image in the computing world. Its computers have long been loved by hard core techies who appreciate the innovation and design that make Apple unique to the industry. Graphic designers, artists, and other visually minded people appreciated the wealth of graphics programs on the Apple system, which best allowed them to do their jobs. Finally, computer snobs liked the renegade Apple image and the power it gave them to snub their nose at the mainstream.
Though there are a lot of these people out there, there aren t enough to run a business on, especially when you re competing with the likes of Microsoft, IBM, Dell, and other techie powerhouses. Apple essentially got stuck in a niche market, and couldn t seem to escape for fear of selling out the diehards out there.
